Best Smart Video Doorbell Reviews in 2018

There are a lot of them on the market, but the Ring Video Doorbell Pro is our favorite. If you want to get something which is perfect for you, however, we recommend that you take a look at our top five in order to make sure that you’ve got the perfect fit for your home and read up on some of the available features below.

There are a lot of smart devices out there, some of which seem a bit ridiculous. One that we’ve all wished we had is a smart doorbell, however. Imagine the ability to see who is at your doorstep even while you’re away. By connecting to your internet, a smart doorbell can transmit what’s going on directly to your device.

Bestoverallpick!

Best overall: Ring Video Doorbell Pro

With a bevy of advanced features and the ability to integrate with the rest of Amazon’s fairly impressive lineup of products, the Ring Pro stands out head and shoulders above the competition. If you have the money then this is exactly what you’re looking for.

1. Best Overall

Ring Video Doorbell Pro

Product Rating5 /5

Reviewed by: Max Perzon

The Ring Video Doorbell is our favorite of the smart doorbells currently on the market. The best part is undoubtedly the integration with Amazon Alexa, making it part of a complete smart home solution, but it would stand on its own even without that added functionality.

This one includes a lifetime replacement plan as well. We all know that some thieves will snag anything that’s around, including a smart doorbell, and you’ll get a free replacement if this happens to you.

On top of that it has an almost endless list of features which make it stand out. Whether it’s live protection in the form of being able to view what’s going on or an intercom you’re covered here.

Best of all, it connects with the wifi in your home like any good smart device in order to enable you to view things remotely. It’s quick and easy to install and comes in a variety of finishes so that you can match things off to your home as well. It’s also extremely easy to install yourself as long as you already have the wiring in place. Just screw it in and you’ll be good to go with your new protection and communication features.

Pros and Cons

Integration with Amazon Alexa devices

Complete live view enabled

Lifetime protection from theft

1080p camera for ultra-high resolution

Expensive

Wifi only, you may need an extender for optimal performance

2. Best Cheap Wifi Doorbell

AKASO Video Doorbell

Product Rating3.5 /5

Reviewed by: Max Perzon

AKASO has released this excellent little doorbell. It lacks in some of the features of our favorites, but it definitely stands out from anything else at near the price.

Indeed, this is currently one of the cheapest actual smart doorbells on the market. While you might be able to find a 720p camera doorbell in this price range, it’s most likely not going to be able to interface with your home.

It comes complete with two way audio, like any doorbell worth its salt, and it also has IR for those night time recordings you might need to take. Speaking of taking footage, it does come with 8GB of onboard memory so that you can snag some recordings when you need to. It’s compatible with both iOS and Android as well, which is a nice touch for those with a wide variety of devices in their home.

The biggest flaw with this doorbell is the range. You’ll either want to purchase a wifi extender or make sure that your router is near the front door. While it’s rated for 20 yards, we found that you need to be at about half of that in most conditions for a perfect connection. If the lack of range doesn’t turn you off of it, the AKASO video doorbell is absolutely the best for those who are on a tight budget. Make your home more secure without overstretching your pocket book with this valuable camera.

Pros and Cons

720p camera with 166° viewing

Two-way audio with noise cancelling

Great infrared functionalities

8GB of onboard data and compatible with SD cards

Lack of range limits placement

No batteries included

3. Best Package Deal

DING WiFi Enabled Video Doorbell Package

Product Rating4 /5

Reviewed by: Max Perzon

We really like this camera, and the price is great but before we get into it there’s one big downfall: this doorbell and wifi extender has a catch… a subscription service.

If you opt for this one you’ll have to pay to access all of the features. The main feature is constant recording, which can be quite handy depending on the neighborhood that you live in.

On top of that, you get a wide angle, 720p camera which is great and you can easily pan through the included app to get a view of everything. The ZModo beam actually works really well as a wifi extender and saves you the pain of having to pick out your own repeater or extender which can be an exhaustive process in and of itself. This one has smart motion detection, allowing you to receive notifications when something is happening within the area. This feature is great for monitoring things, especially since you’ll be able to know when there’s someone on your doorstep.

Add in two-way audio and you’ve got a pretty nice thing going if you’re willing to pay for the subscription. While it’s cheap at first glance, in order to access all of the features of this video doorbell you’ll need to pay for a subscription. If you’re willing to do that, and receive 24/7 recorded video of your front yard, then go for it otherwise we recommend one of our other choices

Pros and Cons

Wide angle camera gets a huge view

Two way audio for communicating with guests

ZModo wifi extender included

Motion sensor to let you know when you have visitors

Subscription service for advanced features

Doorbell feels a little bit flimsy

4. Best for Integration

August Doorbell Cam Pro

Product Rating4.5 /5

Reviewed by: Max Perzon

August got a bad rap right out of the gate, but as long as you stick with their newer products you can get quite a bargain. That said, our reason for recommending this doorbell camera isn’t because it’s the hottest on the market, it’s because it’s super-easy to integrate with the rest of August’s security features.

If you’re looking for a complete, one-app security system then August is one of the best ways to go, hands down. On the other hand, there are better smart video doorbells out there for a similar cost.

It’s no slouch though, it comes equipped with a 720p camera that allows you to see and talk to visitors. It’s easy to install as well, most people will have no issues replacing their existing doorbell with this option. One cool little feature: the app also works with Apple Watches. While that may not be useful for most people, if you happen to have one around it can be a lifesaving feature since you don’t even have to check your phone.

This camera automatically records for a few seconds before the doorbell is engaged. This makes it rather easy to check and see who was there. For those looking for complete integration of all of their home security systems, August is an extremely tempting option. For the rest of us, however, there are better products available at a similar price point.

Pros and Cons

720p camera

Automatically records for a few seconds on a person’s approach

Easy to install

Integration with the rest of August’s security systems is super easy

Wifi reception is fairly weak, you may need an extender

No night vision mode available

5. Best Standalone Smart Video Doorbell

RemoBell WiFi Wireless Video Doorbell

Product Rating4.5 /5

Reviewed by: Max Perzon

If you want a fantastic smart doorbell that can stand on its own two feet, then the feature packed RemoBell is exactly what you’re looking for.

While it lacks some of the advanced features which can only really be found with integrated systems it definitely has the best of smart video doorbells packed into it’s attractive frame. Going with this camera you’ll receive the ability to have two-way audio, night vision, motion sensors, and cloud recordings. It’ll quickly become an integral part of your home, with no subscription and all of it’s abilities it’s a real contender for the title of the best.

There are a few things which held it back from being our favorite, however. The main thing is that mounting it is a complete nightmare. The brackets which come with this camera are pretty much useless so you’ll need to figure out a way to hang it. The other thing is kind of stupid: it doesn’t have an actual doorbell sound within your home. You’ll need to have your camera on you in order to be notified someone is there.

If you’re willing to put up with the downsides, however, the RemoBell is a fantastic addition to your home security setup and there’s no software hassle involved.

Pros and Cons

720p camera

Cloud storage of video recordings

Two-way, crystal clear audio

Advanced motion sensor to prevent false alarms

Mounting brackets are really bad

No doorbell sound in the home

Who Needs a Smart Video Doorbell?

Smart doorbells are some of the coolest little things around.

Pretty much every home can benefit from the increased security and convenience.

Video doorbells take things up to the next level, allowing anything from a snapshot to a live feed of your doorstep so you know who’s there.

The lower end ones are just cool for the most part, but if you’re willing to spend the money then you’ll end up with a useful device which will let you talk back and forth, stream live video, and give you smart alerts to let you know when something is up.

They’re definitely not simple devices but all of our picks are pretty solid devices.

Whether you want one for security or convenience, if you own a smartphone then chances are that you can use a smart bell.

Picking Your Smart Doorbell

The first thing to decide is exactly what functions you think are essential for your home. While many folks might be happy with just a live stream, others may want to be able to remotely unlock their door and use an intercom to speak to their visitors.

You’ve got some decisions to make when it comes to features, but let’s talk about what we consider the most important factor first.

Connection and Power Stability

Your smart doorbell is just an expensive box if it’s down half of the time.

While we’d like to think which is anything being sold as a smart doorbell is mostly functional, we’ve been around the block a few times.

That means that many of the cheap knock-offs are going to be horrible in this regard. We’ve done our best to make sure that anything we recommend works quite well in this regard, but everyone’s conditions are going to be a bit different.

We also recommend a wired connection unless you really think you’ll be better off with a wireless. The only reason we can see recommending a wireless would be if your floor plan makes it prohibitively hard to run the Ethernet cord in a safe and aesthetic manner.

Either way, you need to make sure that whatever you get is stable and reliable to get the most out of your device.

Compatibility

While most smart doorbells are able to work with all types of smart phone, you really need to make sure that there’s an app available for your operating system before you buy.

If you can’t interface with your phone, after all, then you’re not going to get any extra utility out of the doorbell.

Camera

The camera itself isn’t of as much concern as many people make it out to be. As a general rule, you’re going to want to make sure that it’s at least standard definition but high definition models do exist.

Whether or not you think they’re worth it is another matter entirely. For most people a rough approximation is good enough and standard definition will usually provide enough detail up close to let you see who is there and what they’re doing.

More important than the resolution is if the camera has the ability to adjust to differing lighting levels. Your porch light may not always be on, after all, so being able to know what’s going on even in low-light conditions is important.

Another important thing to take into consideration is the perspective. Some cameras will let you see a full 180° in front of them, and others will be able to see packages on your door step without any additional difficulty.

Some cameras are able to pan as well, but these are less frequent and not really necessary.

Recording Ability

If you want to record the footage of your doorstep to take a look later then make sure that your camera has the capability to do so.

Some cameras will have onboard storage as well, which is great.

This feature is essential if you’re looking to increase security.

Since you can record, if the worst was to happen then you’ll be able to find out who came in through the door pretty easily.

Live feeds only aren’t nearly as useful.

The amount of storage is important as well. More is better, as usual, and you can keep a pretty good amount of footage without having to worry about space with the better video doorbells on the market.

Subscription Fees

Most of the high-end doorbell cameras have a bit of a catch: you’ll end up paying a monthly fee to access certain features.

We feel this is usually worth it, especially if you can get ahold of on-demand replays of cloud based footage. Some cameras can even record 24/7, allowing you to get a good snapshot of whatever is going on in your yard during the day if the placement is right.

On the other hand, some of the cheaper models are pretty bare-bones functional but don’t require you to subscribe to anything. That’s ideal for those on a tight budget who just want to be able to know who’s at the door.

Two-Way Audio

Many of these doorbells come with an awesome little feature which functions pretty much identically to an intercom, allowing you to talk to the person at your door.

Whether you just want to tell your friend to come back later or leave detailed information for the delivery man, you’ll find that it’s a welcome feature.

Indeed, combined with video capabilities this is the thing we most recommend looking for in a smart doorbell.

Also of concern is the quality of the audio when you’re using the two-way audio. With modern technology there’s pretty much no excuse for the older, scratchy audio which most people think of when they hear the word intercom.

Integration

Whether you already have one or you’re planning on getting one, being able to control both your smart doorbell and a smart lock from the same app is pretty impressive. Most people will probably want to upgrade at some point if they didn’t start with the lock in the first place.

By integrating into a single application, you’ll be able to maximize the functionality of both.

Want to let the dog sitter in but forgot to leave the door unlocked? Done.

Forget to lock your door on the way out and someone came in? Now you know who it is.

Indeed, Amazon is actually looking to add this function specifically for deliveries.

If you already have a smart lock, then you really may want to ensure that you can use your new doorbell from the same app. If not, then consider the locks the company offers as well in case you want a full home security solution in the future.

Cost

Cost is always going to play a part in your purchase.

Remember to calculate for subscription fees as well, however, in order to stick within your budget.

Part of a Smart Home Solution

Smart video doorbells are really only part of a smart security solution and as things get more and more advanced and reliable many of us are finding that the integration of our homes and devices can get pretty impressive.

At this point in time, it’s a good idea to see what else a brand offers when you pick out a device like this in order to ensure that you can get a ton of compatible devices which are easily controlled.

Smart Home Security

There are a lot of different security devices and systems out there which can be integrated as part of a serious solution to home security that can be controlled from your phone.

This includes alarms, cameras, locks, and other devices. August, for instance, can be integrated with to form a door which is both hard to open and gives you all of the information you need while you’re away.

Full Integration

Of the companies we’ve seen, Nest is definitely the best at this. They have thermostats, fire and CO2 alarms, full security systems, and just about anything else you can think of available.

Integrating the different devices in your home into one app is pretty much the ultimate in convenience.

However, you may end up wanting to separate your front door and the rest of the house.

Conclusion

As you can see, finding the best smart video doorbell is only the beginning of your adventure if you’re looking to ensure you have a modern, secure home. Whether you choose to go further or not is up to you, but we’ll be here to support you when you need to make the next choice. Either continue or begin your smart home journey right here, you’ll be amazed at where you end up.